The Same Kind of Different: Imprint Series
by LaPushWolf
Summary: Series of stand alone one-shots featuring our favorite wolves as they learn to deal with imprinting, lovers, one night stands and life.
1. Make the World Go Round

**STORY #1**

Story Name: Make the World Go Round

Rating: Mature/Lemons

Genre: Romance/Comedy

Pairing: Bella/Jacob

Summary: Jacob, having recently phased for the first time, secretly lusts over the girl he thinks he no longer deserves. After heeding some good advice, he finds out that maybe the way he feels isn't as unrequited as he thought.

Make the World Go Round

Jacob absently sucked his lip between his teeth, another release for the tension building up inside of him that flexing his hand against the accelerator of his bike wasn't taming. He wasn't sure if it was his over-exuberant hormones or the fact that she had the most flexuous ass he'd ever seen that was driving him steadily over the edge. Either way, he was thankful for the barricade between them because it blocked the view of his crotch while he let his fantasies run wildly amuck. His mid-morning orgasm was becoming a daily ritual it seemed, and it was the sole reason he made an excuse to drive down and patrol the beach at least once a day. In the beginning, he'd been embarrassed and went so far as to feel guilty about lying to his brothers just so he could stare at the girl working the souvenir booth. However, that was before the weather warmed up, and she started wearing that shiny black bikini and see through cover up. She was intentionally trying to torture him by exposing the long lines of her curves, he was sure of it. He didn't regret his lust for her anymore, even if she was completely unattainable.

A growl hummed against his lips, his muscles tensing in response to the way her hips swayed as she walked back to her perch in the shade. Maybe, he thought, that was the reason he felt so drawn to her, because he knew he could never have someone that beautiful and sophisticated. Then she bent over; a quick reminder that sophistication was just a state of mind, and her body was the island that he wished to lose it on. Isabella Swan was slowly killing him, one unrequited orgasm at a time.

Jacob pushed his hand hard against his jeans, stifling the groan he so desperately wanted to let go. He could picture it so clearly, Bella straddling him while wearing nothing but that same subdued grin on her face. Jacob's hand rose up his jeans, gripping himself tightly. He could almost taste her, feel her hardening nipples on his tongue as his hands explored the rounded lines of her hips. Jacob involuntarily closed his eyes, he was so close to having her, fulfilling her in the way he knew that only he could. Jacob forced his eyes open, watching tentatively as Bella walked forward and leaned over the counter to help her next customer. His eyes trained on the seamless way her breasts filled her top, threatening to over flow the brim and it was more than enough to send him reeling. He cupped himself, unable to hold back the thrill that her body caused him.

Jacob was panting through a slow glorious recovery when someone cleared his throat with a rough cough. He flinched, almost throwing himself over his bike. "Jacob," his father, Billy Black, stated from the vehicle next to him.

Jacob rolled his eyes upward and over his shoulder giving his father an ill look, because he was the last person he wanted to see right now. "How nice to see you here today….again," Billy drawled, with a clear sarcastic edge to his voice.

Jacob stood upright, the crotch of his pants still straining against the bike. He took one last glance at the girl across the beach, savoring the sight of her toned legs and the delicate curve of her ass. "Nice to see you here again too," he shot back, quickly adjusting himself in his damp jeans.

Billy tipped his hat down, the usual signal that he was about to say something that Jacob wouldn't like. "Son, I know how you feel about her," he admitted, sending a glance in Bella's direction. "You haven't been able to take your eyes off her from the moment she made you that mud pie when you were five, but you're not a kid anymore, Jacob."

Heat seared through Jacob's rattled body, the anger so much harder to control when his mind was still fogged with images of her. He bit back the filthy words he wanted to spew at his father to correctly explain how he damn well knew he wasn't a child, and how he'd given up on the dreams he had of being with Bella. That's all they had ever been, mere dreams, concocted and relived over and over again in the back of his mind. Jacob had never once stood a chance with Isabella Swan, even before he transformed into a werewolf. He remembered too well the way she'd looked at him the first day she returned home, he was nothing more than a kid to her, the same little boy from her childhood, frozen in time. It didn't matter now, Bella was off limits, and he would never get the chance to prove to her what kind of man he could be. It was that exact reason why he sat here, admiring her from the view of his bike instead of the end of his bed.

In the end, he didn't bother answering his father, because they both knew it would only lead to a fight they didn't want to have. Jacob was tired of his father's constant reminders that the daughter of his best friend was off limits to him, and obviously his father was tired of finding him here sulking about it.

"I'll see you at home," Jacob said instead, straddling his bike despite the ache it caused in his groin.

"See you at home," Billy sighed, starting the engine of his truck and backing out.

Jacob placed his dark tented aviators on his face, ran his hands through his cropped hair and swallowed the anger that constituted his horrible luck in life. He didn't want to be mysterious, or dangerous; and most importantly, he didn't want to be a wolf. He only ever wanted to be with Bella.

-0-

It had been the hottest day of the summer so far; Bella could see the faint hint of red lines forming along the top of her breasts. She had exchanged her bikini for something a little more comfortable before grabbing her towel and heading down toward the far end of First Beach. She just wasn't ready to go back to Forks yet. Charlie had been working late every night this week, so she wasn't in any rush to get home for dinner. She strolled down the beach, watching the children play in the subdued waves as the sun slowly began to set. She didn't understand why people didn't like this end of the beach, it was a little rocky, but it was always empty and offered her privacy after a long day of in-your-face tourist.

She found a suitable spot just under the cliff face where she could curl up on top of her blanket with her favorite book. The cool evening breeze was a relief against her burning skin, and she wondered if, even now, she should apply another layer of sunscreen. She decided to shrug it off and worry about it later. Secretly, she hoped that maybe this time the redness would do more than peel back to its original ivory color.

Quiet minutes passed as the sun dipped further behind the horizon, stealing the last remaining minutes of light. The families down the beach eventually packed up and left, but Bella stayed glued to her spot. She didn't mind that it had gotten too dark to read, she just liked being here. There was something about LaPush that she loved, a familiarity that made her feel at home.

She took in a deep breath, closing her eyes against the breeze. It felt so nice to just relax, to listen to the waves instead of needy customers. Her mind drifted away, recalling the many times she'd visited this exact spot in her lifetime, the most prominent being with her mother, Renee, when she still believed this was the place where she wanted to grow old. Bella understood the draw LaPush placed on your heart, but she was starting to wonder how Renee had ever let go of it.

Bella suddenly flinched as the sound of breaking water crashed through the still air around her. Her fingers dug into the blanket at her side, her senses striking to full alertness as her eyes popped open and began scanning the water in front of her. That had been loud, she assured herself, too loud to be a fish or a fallen rock from the cliff. She stood up this time, walking back and forth along the waters edge, searching for any sign of movement.

She saw it then, a flicker in the waves. There was something in the water, and it was headed her way! She knew it was too late to run, so she grabbed her stuff and bolted behind one the large rocks up the beach toward the cliff's base. She sunk down behind it, peaking out to watch as the waves rippled against the force of whatever was trying to make its way to land. A hand flashed in the light of the moon and then another! It was a person, which meant they had jumped off the cliff. She started to panic because no one could possibly survive such a jump! She couldn't understand how they could even manage to swim to shore? She started to jump up, to run desperately to their aid when the figure stood up in the water, and she froze.

It was Jacob Black.

The moon lit up the familiar lines of his face perfectly, highlighting the smooth skin of his bare chest and perfectly chiseled arms. When had that happened? Better yet, how did that happen? She knew it had been months since she'd last seen Jacob, only days after she first moved in with Charlie. Jacob had come with Billy to deliver the truck Charlie had so sweetly purchased for her as a coming home present. He had been just a boy then, sweet and charming with a smile that had made her hopeful in the choice she'd made. However, that was then, and apparently Jacob had hit the growth spurt of the century because the rising figure was definitely all man.

The water parted before him, inching its way down his body causing her to gasp when it revealed the strong line of hipbone. He's naked, she realized with a shock of pure lust and curiosity. Oh, good god almighty, he was naked! She knew she should turn away, it was Jacob Black after all. She'd made the boy mud pies for heaven's sake. She couldn't though, her eyes were fixated on him, refusing to budge as his glistening body glided effortlessly through the last remaining waves. She could feel her cheeks flushing red, her heart pounding in her ears, and she suddenly regretted not having pursued his offer of coming to visit LaPush sooner.

Her breath shook in her chest, her palms clamming up as he shook the water from his body, his hands running through his newly cropped hair. If it weren't for the troubled look on his face, she might have been tempted to follow the hand that reflexively stretched out toward him. It bothered her that he didn't look happy, she missed that picture perfect smile that seemed to warm her from the inside out. Jacob continued to stalk forward, shaking off the beads of water rolling down his shoulders onto his chest. He bent over and tugged at a pair of shorts that were tied to his ankle, swiftly pulling them on before throwing himself on the ground with his head in his hands.

Lust faded into heartache as she heard him whine into his hands, mouthing out words that she couldn't quite hear. He was upset, and that was all that mattered to her. She wanted to comfort him, to assure him that whatever bothered him could be fixed, that everything would be okay. However, popping out of the shadows now would only reveal the fact that she'd witnessed his parade of holy hotness out of the ocean only moments before. No, she asserted, she would stay hidden and watch him suffer in silence, at least for now.

Jacob continued to talk incoherently to himself, as if he was reliving a fight, finally saying all the things that he'd held back. She watched as his temper slowly cooled, his breathing fading into soft bursts of air. He took in one last long breath, letting it out in a suffered huff. He pushed himself off the ground, walking down the beach toward a clump of trees that led off into the forest. Bella stood up, watching him make his retreat. She stepped forward, concerned that he seemed intent upon heading into the trees barefoot and possibly still hurt from the jump he'd taken off the cliff. She immediately shot back down behind the rock as Jacob turned to take one last long look down the beach. When she stood back up, he was gone, but her heart still pounding wildly out of control.

-0-

Embry was waiting on him, a fact that he wasn't surprised by. Embry was always waiting on him. Being the oldest in their trio- though only by a couple months- he took up the role as the cautious and wise one, to even out Jacob's adventurousness and Quil's mischievousness. It had been his best friend who stood in the shadows the first time he phased, watching him and listening quietly as he lost all sense of normalcy. If he hadn't heard his voice that night, he was sure he would have lost it. Then, when Jacob realized that being with Bella was no longer an option, it had been Embry who stood outside his bedroom door all night waiting for him to stop screaming.

_I slept most of the time_. Embry chuckled, rounding the corner so Jacob could see where he sat. _The why-me serenade got boring after about three hours._

Jacob's mind buzzed with his leftover annoyance, but Embry only snorted._ I figured you might be more willing to talk now that you've had a few moments to cool off. _Embry's wolf eyes rose in question. _Was I wrong in that assumption?_

Jacob growled, because he'd only found a mild form of comfort in jumping off that cliff and brooding on the beach. He'd been thinking about her again, Bella and all her ungodly beauty, when Sam had intruded on his thoughts. Sam had scolded him like he was child, reminding him, with visions of Emily's shattered face, of what he was and what he could do to her, as if he didn't already know. Sam wasn't the only one who had to look at Emily and feel guilty for being a monster. If that wasn't enough, he threatened to make him stay away from Bella, no more visits to the beach just to check if she was okay, and that was all he could take. Jacob had phased and sent himself flying off that cliff into the cool, treacherous waters beneath.

_He was out of line._ Jacob barked back, recalling the tone and words Sam had used to demean him in their fight.

Embry said nothing. He was a silent, calming fixture at Jacob's side.

_Sam and my father just need to stay out of it!_ Jacob continued, a flash of Billy's disapproving grimace running through his mind. _I know what I am, I'm sick of being reminded of what I could do to her. I know!_

Again, Embry said nothing, but Jacob could feel his mental push toward Sam and Emily's house.

_Sam isn't home_, Embry quickly explained, pushing him harder. _And you know Emily saved you dinner, don't disappoint her._

Jacob considered it and knew, no matter how upset he was, he could never hurt Emily's feelings. He gave in and turned east, running the remaining mile and a half silently. He phased along side his best friend in the back yard, dressed and attempted to sneak in the back door. He flipped on the light at the same time a hand grabbed his shoulder.

"Welcome home, loverboy," Quil mused, pulling Jacob up next to his side. "You're late."

"I know I missed dinner," he sighed, pushing Quil away from him. He was rarely in the mood for Quil's teasing lately. "I'm only here to apologize to Emily."

Jacob started to step forward, but Quil's hand caught him in the chest. "Stop," he ordered, loosing all sense of his former amusement. "I'm your beta, I deserve to know what got into you to make Sam come home all huffy, puffy blowing the house down."

"I know what is wrong with him," Embry sang, side stepping around them. He shot Jacob a playful look, the sign that it was time to get over himself. "And I can explain it with three simple words."

Quil turned, effectively ignoring Jacob now to follow Embry into the kitchen. "Three words huh?" Quil smiled, considering the options, happy that the teasing was going to continue.

Embry stopped at the counter grabbing an apple from the bowl, taking a chunk out of the side with one snapping bite. "Isabella, Isabella, Isabella," he grinned through his full mouth adding a wink at Jacob.

Jacob groaned, walking past them to the fridge. He pulled it open to see a bowl of food clearly marked with his name. He knew he made the right decision coming here, no fight or amount of grief from these two was worth hurting the woman who was slowly growing to replace the loss of his mother.

"Isabella?" Quil repeated behind him, cocking his eye. "As in Isabella Swan?"

"You got it," Embry laughed, taking another bite out of the apple.

Jacob pulled the food from the fridge, scowling at his best friends. "Can we just drop it?" He pleaded.

"Drop what?" Emily asked, walking into the room to grab Jacob's bowl. She spun around toward the stove picking up a pot to heat it up.

"Nothing," Jacob asserted, but Embry and Quil burst out laughing.

"Jacob is pinning away over his childhood crush," Quil pointed out, "again!"

"Though, she definitely is all woman now," Embry added. "Have you seen that black bikini she wears at the beach?"

"Have I?" Quil laughed. "Like three times a day, no wait. That's Jacob."

"Enough," Jacob growled and tried to corral the boys out of the room. Neither of them moved until Emily pointed to the exit. Jacob could hear their unbridled laughter continue through the house.

"Ignore them," she instructed, pointing to a seat at the table, "and enjoy your dinner."

Jacob sat down, patiently waiting for her to return his food. "Thanks for saving me dinner," he tried to smile.

"You're welcome," she whispered, stirring a pot of noodles at the stove. "And while you're thanking me, you should also add in the fact that Sam will no longer be giving you grief about this Bella girl."

That caught Jacob's attention, and his head jerked up from the table. "Say what?" Jacob gaped.

"Embry told me what happened before he went back to find you," she explained quietly. "I refuse to let Sam punish you for our mistakes. You are not a monster, Jacob, and neither is he. You've grown a lot in the past couple months, and you are completely capable of controlling yourself now. I don't see why you can't at least talk to her, it's ridiculous."

Jacob smiled despite himself. "You put too much faith in me."

Emily poured Jacob's dinner back into the bowl and walked it over to the table. "And you put too little in yourself." She whispered, patting his shoulder. "If being away from her makes you this upset, talk to her. Let Bella be the one to decide if you're worth the risk."

"I'm not," he grunted, depressed.

Emily smiled at him, the scars on her cheeks turning down until it appeared as she was frowning as well. "We both know that isn't true," she asserted. "And it's time you proved it."

-0-

The engine of his bike revved as Jacob pulled into the emptying parking lot at the beach. He knew Embry wasn't far behind, but he parked right next to Bella's truck anyway. He hopped off the bike and headed toward the trees making sure the evacuating tourists were oblivious to his movements. Once in wolf form, he prepared himself for a long wait. He knew he would never be able to talk to Bella until every last person had left the beach, and considering it was just after five o'clock, he could be waiting forever.

Jacob caught the exact moment that Embry phased, because a hint of amusement and recklessness tingled his mind. Embry would never stop him from seeking out Bella, but that didn't mean he wouldn't hang on around in hopes that he would get to watch Jacob crash and burn in his efforts.

_Exactly._ Embry chuckled, his feet pounding in the dirt in his attempt to catch up with Jacob._ Because you will crash and burn, my dear brother, trust me. You may be genetically enhanced all of a sudden, but that girl's body is on an entirely different level._

_And who gave you permission to notice that?_ Jacob shot back, allowing his annoyance to linger in their shared thoughts. _I just want to see her, and it's unusual for her to still be in LaPush this late._

Embry's laugh rebounded loudly in his mind. _Stalk her much?_ He teased.

Jacob ignored him, circling through the thick brush toward the beach. Bella's truck was still parked in its usual spot in front of the souvenir stand that closed an hour ago. Jacob didn't want to panic, but he didn't like the idea of Bella being on the beach by herself after dark.

_Why?_ Embry asked, catching up to nudge Jacob playfully in the shoulder. _Because sharks are scarier than giant stalking werewolves?_

Jacob purposefully returned the jab with a not so friendly shove that sent Embry stumbling into a tree. _Smartass._

Once his path was clear, he made it to the edge of the trees that outlined the northern half of First Beach. Jacob searched the beach from just within the shadows, his nose poked in the air. A soft wisp of vanilla floated through the breeze, bringing the hair on Jacob's back to a point.

_She's here!_ He thought excitedly, narrowing his eyes, more determined than ever to find her figure. _But where?_

_For a professional you're really not that good at stalking._ Embry confessed gleefully. _She's over here._

Jacob rushed farther up the beach toward the cliffs to find Embry sitting smugly against a tree with his tongue hanging out. Her scent had grown stronger, it felt as if it surrounded him completely, numbing his brain with her pheromones. His eyes darted across the beach until he saw her figure lying on top of a sandy blanket. Speech and thought evaded him as he took in the sight of the crimson red bikini she wore, filling every inch of it with such untamed curves that he thought he would have no other choice but to pounce on her right here and now.

_Not a good idea._ Embry suggested, shaking his head in disapproval.

_And why not?_ Jacob questioned, repressing the itch he felt to move closer toward her.

Embry joined him at his side, taking one long look at the target in question and smiled. _I don't know, Jacob, maybe because you have a tail. That wags._

_Funny_. Jacob growled.

_Fact._ Embry laughed back at him.

Jacob was quickly growing impatient. Now that he'd made up his mind to at least talk to Bella, he was in a hurry to receive her response. Embry sang a cheerful version of Crash and Burn in the back of his mind, but Jacob ignored him. He continued to remind himself of Emily's words, that he didn't have a right to make Bella's decisions; and secretly he hoped that maybe, just maybe she would think he was worth the risk.

_You're not._ Embry grinned, pushing him forward with his paw. _But that's just my opinion._ He added a wink before pushing him again. _Go get her, bro._

Jacob stumbled forward, suddenly nervous and off balance. The rustling of leaves beneath his feet had caught Bella's attention, and she flipped over onto her back to stare diligently into the trees. She expected that something was there, Jacob could see it in her eyes, and he wondered if he should just phase and walk out there to her.

_Sure, you could do that and be completely boring, and slightly creepy._ Embry explained.

Jacob narrowed his eyes at his best friend. _I'm assuming you have a much better idea._

Embry laughed. _I always have much better ideas, you should know that by now._

Since Jacob was in a hurry, he decided to let that one pass. _Alright then, let's hear it._

_Well…._ Embry smiled crookedly. _I suggest a grand entrance. A really grand entrance._

-0-

Bella was more than willing to admit to herself that her actions were completely ridiculous, and might - over a long period of time -quality her for insanity. She'd spent every night this week at the beach after work, reading and mimicking her exact routine in hopes that Jacob would somehow miraculously emerge from the waves in all his naked glory again. It sounded even more ridiculous when let herself think rationally about it, because it was like asking for lightening –hot, naked lightening- to strike the same spot twice. Her excuse for such maniacally crazy behavior was that she didn't have anything else better to do than sit around and wait for another miracle.

Having been disappointed three nights in a row, she finally broke down and brought a flashlight so she could continue to occupy herself with reading once the sun went down. Although, honestly, she'd spent more time fantasizing about Jacob than reading about the slow demise of her latest heroine. She was picturing him, imaging every erotic detail as her hair fell over her eyes shadowing the blush that darkened her cheeks. She still couldn't believe that she was able to picture her sweet, innocent Jacob as an orgasm inducing sex machine. It baffled her to no end.

She gasped as a noise rumbled behind her in the trees, and quickly flipped over holding her hand over her heart that threatened to jump out of her heaving chest. Her eyes darted from tree to tree trying to dissect each shadow that lay hidden behind. Something was there, she could feel it. Bella knew she wasn't alone anymore. She rose to her feet, but the noise disappeared as quickly as it had come, along with her patience.

"Jacob!" She yelled, stepping toward the trees. "Jacob, is that you?"

No, she thought foolishly, it was probably just some woodland creature out for its nightly patrol. She could feel her pulse dulling, those ounces of hope fading fast. She really needed to get a better hobby, or if she was practical, a real boyfriend. The lack of success, and another wet bathing suit was enough to deter her spirits to the point that she was ready to pack up her stuff and go home, for good. She turned around, sighing to herself when a loud shrill scream filled the air above her head. Everything inside of her lurched forward, bringing her to her knees, but she quickly noted that the scream hadn't been one of agony, but rather intense delight.

Her fingers dug relentlessly into the sand as something broke the surface of the water, sending a huge splash into the air. Bella's heart stopped, time froze, and her world went spinning out of control.

Could it be?

Did miracles really happen?

She scrambled for her flashlight, her hands trembling as she forced the button on, momentarily blinding herself. White dots blinked in front of her eyes as she ran desperately toward the waters edge. It wasn't even dark, but she flashed the light across the surface following the sound of splashing water until she found him.

Lightening had indeed struck, and she was burning alive inside. Jacob's long arms were splashing wildly in the waves as he forced himself through the current. Bella was practically vibrating with excitement now. It was really him! It was Jacob Black!

Waves pushed him forward as he found his feet, his shoulders barely breaking the surface. "Bella!" He yelled, shaking the water from his face.

"Jacob!" She screamed back in complete delight, and caught herself before she squealed. Instead, she held onto her flashlight for dear life and bounced up and down on her heels as the waves splashed playfully at her ankles. "Jacob, are you okay?"

He stalked forward through the water just as she imagined he would in her dreams. "I'm fine, Bella," his cool and confident voice assured her. "I was just cliff diving."

She wanted to roll her eyes at him, because the rock that stood behind her wasn't just any kind of cliff. A jump like that should have killed him, or at least maimed him beyond recognition. "You've lost your mind, Jacob," she screamed at him, but really it was her who was slowly losing touch with reality as his body inched its way further out of the water.

"I'm fine," he assured her again. "I do it all the time, nothing to worry yourself about."

She was about to protest again, or even worse, admit that she knew about this little dangerous habit of his, but the words lodged in her throat as the waves peeled away to reveal a pair of black cottons shorts molded to his lower body. A thousand different languages, signs or symbols could not express her disappointment.

Jacob shook his entire body, spraying water in all directions as he stepped onto the sand. He could feel himself hardening at the sight of her. She was like a flaming signal in that red bikini, beckoning him home. He watched her in awe for a moment, once again having a revelation about his attraction to her. It wasn't just her amazing body – though he's pretty sure he could live out a pretty fulfilling life in a bedroom with her – it was her quiet confidence that really sent him reeling. Her hair was windblown, and she was absent any makeup, but she still knew that he would lust after her just the same. He liked that, he thought, the fact that she didn't need him to tell her he'd never be the same.

Her deep brown eyes penetrated him, leaving him feeling numb and disoriented. However, it didn't seem to affect his reflexes, since his eyes automatically dropped down to her top that revealed the swollen lines of her breasts hidden beneath the soft fabric. She was so close and so perfectly tempting. He'd never wanted anyone so much in his entire life. He waited patiently for her to decide what she finally wanted to say to him, before he laid everything on the line to try and save their friendship. He couldn't help but smile because she looked utterly perplexed by the entire situation. Bella licked her lips, absently sucking it between her teeth. "You're not naked," she said finally, pointing out the obvious.

Jacob's mouth hung open in surprise, his muscles clenching at the sound of the words leaving her lips. He managed to recover, barely, and raised his eyes in question. "Should I be naked?" He inquired, a seductive curve turning his lips.

The blush flashing across her porcelain cheeks sent his blood surging to all the wrong places, and soon he'd need much more than the brisk jolt of cold water to hold him back. She stuttered, looking away from him to inadvertently showcase how perfectly round and inviting her ass looked, as if that would somehow help the situation. "Bella," he whispered, his voice deep and husky with his rising desire.

"Last time," she managed to croak. "Last time you were naked."

Jacob suddenly began to choke on the air that erupted from his lungs. "L-l-last time?" He spat out, his voice involuntarily rising.

Bella began to fidget, her fingers raking nervously through her long brown hair. She looked sheepishly at him, her entire face darkening with her embarrassment. "I saw you," she admitted to the sand at her feet. "You jumped off that same cliff three nights ago."

"Oh." It was all he could say, and he barely managed that much with the way his thoughts were bouncing back and forth from deep concern about how much she saw to the boyish curiosity of whether or not she liked it.

"I'm sorry if that's weird," she muttered, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Not weird," Jacob blurted out, his head swimming in rhythm to the crashing waves. He shook his head, trying to clear the fog. His vision finally cleared, her flawless face and voluptuous body coming into perfect focus.

They stood there, gawking silently at each other while trying to tame the sensual rush that each ignited in the other. Naturally, Jacob was the first to break. "I could always jump again," he half laughed, revealing the sharp edges of his teeth. "If you'd like."

"Jake," Bella sputtered, reflexively darting her eyes over her shoulder as if someone might hear him suggest such a thing, or even worse, catch her admitting that she liked the idea.

Jacob stepped forward, closing the distance between them. "It was just, you look a little disappointed," he clarified with an innocent smile.

That was all it took, one simple, yet extravagantly ornate smile to make her realize that Jacob Black was the one. She'd never considered it, even after she'd spent the last week lusting after every inch of him, she hadn't imagined that the boy she'd met, and easily looked over, could turn out to be the man she never knew she needed. She knew all too well now, it wasn't just Jacob's body that lured her in, but the sight of happiness that her mere presence seemed to bring to his face. Remembering that cold, unmovable grimace that it held just days ago seemed to hurt her even more now, and she secretly vowed to do whatever it took to make sure Jacob Black remained the same bright and shining sun that stood before her right now.

"Jump again," she blurted out, to his complete and utter surprise. "And take me with you."

"W-w-what?" He scrambled to find his words, because, now that the blush had faded, Jacob could see the determination set firmly in her eyes.

"I want to jump with you," she told him, excitement filling her voice.

Jacob looked at Bella, then at the cliff face behind them and out to the churning waters beneath. Obviously he knew he could never let her jump from the top like he'd done, but he knew a place further down that with his help would be perfectly safe. It was a risk though, not for her life, but rather or not he could control himself while touching her wet, half naked body. He quickly decided it was a risk he was more than willing to take.

He slowly held his hand out to her, smiling from ear to ear. "You got it."

-0-

Jacob beamed over at her as she innocently peaked over the edge of the cliff, her satin hand trembling in his. "Up for it?" He gave her a daring glance, and her once questionable look of awe curved in defiance.

Bella jerked her shoulder in a shrug, smirking at him, because there was no way in hell she was backing out now. "Meet you at the bottom," she smiled, dropping his hand. She ran forward and, without even a flinch, dived into the open air and disappeared out of view. Without thinking, Jacob followed quickly behind her, making sure to land just off to her right so he could easily find her in the murky waves. She was still kicking her way to the surface when Jacob's hand caught hold of her hips and helped her find her way. Her arms wrapped around his neck, her entire body crawling up his as she tried to gasp in air and laugh it out at the same time.

"Oh wow," she heaved, her legs encircling around his back. "That was completely exhilarating."

Jacob tightened his grip on her ass pulling her closer against him. "I know," he said, a little breathless himself. "We should totally do this more often."

She looked down him, her smile mimicking his. "We should," she agreed, wiping her hair away from her face. "We totally should."

Jacob's hand flexed over her backside again, a soft growl escaping him. Her hand fell down his neck onto his chest, and all sense of playfulness was replaced by the lingering raw desire between them. Her breath shook, and Jacob knew she was fighting the way she felt. He could see it so plainly in her eyes, the need masked by the doubt of whether or not it was right to give in to it so easily. "I'm not a kid, Bella," he said huskily; and her hands fell further down his chest, noting the way the muscles reacted under her touch.

"That much I know," she whispered. "You've changed, Jake, I feel like I barely even know you now." Her hands came back up, momentarily hanging in the air where the rest of his hair should have been before combing her fingers through his now much shorter locks.

"I'm still me, Bells," he explained. "I'm just grown up now."

She smiled despite herself recalling the high pitched tone he'd used the last time she'd heard him call her that. That time seemed like a distant memory, and she guessed that was right. The years she'd spent away from Forks warped her idea of the passage of time, though she was positive it had all been the same only months ago. It was her childhood friend who'd shown up at her doorstep that day with Billy, his long hair and round cheeks evidence of his youth. Jacob was right, he was grown up now.

"You changed so fast," she admitted, holding him closer as another round of waves sent them drifting closer to shore.

Jacob smiled, playing it off. "Maybe if you came around more often it wouldn't seem so drastic. I think the stupid grin I can't knock off my face is proof enough that I want to spend more time with you, Bella."

She returned the smile, heat flushing her skin. "I'd like that," she whispered. "And it's not stupid." She pressed her fingers over his wet lips, adding pressure as if it were a kiss. "I love your smile, it makes me happy without even trying."

Of course, he grinned even bigger. "Come home with me, Bells," he suggested eagerly. "We'll call Charlie, he'll understand. We'll stay up all night in my garage, just us, catching up."

Catching up, the thought made her laugh. She wanted to do just that, stay up all night talking with Jacob, but she knew that there was something else she wanted just as much. It wouldn't be smart to let herself be alone with him, even now with the threat of the current sending them crashing into the cliffs, she couldn't concentrate on anything but her need for him. Bella knew, without an ounce of hesitation, that if she went home with Jacob tonight, she'd seduce him into more than just working on his old cars.

"Jake." She scrambled for words, an excuse to hide the truth, but Jacob refused to accept it. His large hands caught her face, her eyes going round with shock. Before she knew it, his mouth was on hers, rough and needy, swallowing her gasps, inciting more and reveling in her fast, hard trembles.

Her plush lips seemed to revive everything that he thought he'd lost of his former life. The bitterness left him, and he finally saw a future for himself other than that of a lone and anguished wolf.

Bella's body went stiff under him, and he pushed forward begging her for more with his silent plea. He expected her to push him away, to yell and scream at him, but she didn't. Her lips stayed firm against his, her hand releasing the grip on his shoulders to entangle in his hair.

"Jacob," she gasped against his lips, and he only kissed her again, one, two, three times, until she finally got the point. She melted under him, acceptance officially granted. This was actually happening, and they both knew that they wanted it. It felt too right to deny it, the fire between them too strong to smother out with just the promise of friendship. They needed more, each other in the most basic and instinctual way possible.

"I want you, Bella," he whispered against her skin. "I need you, right now."

Bella half laughed at herself, shaking her head. "I know the feeling," she breathed. "I'm trying to convince myself that I haven't completely lost my mind."

"I love you, Bella," he confessed, smiling. "I always have. The day you turned back up here was the best day of my life." He meant it. A part of him, a small selfless part, wanted desperately for her to stop him, to do or say something that would hold the wildness he felt inside of him in check, to save herself from the burden of what loving him meant for her.

It was too late though, Bella was involved now. Jacob meant something to her, a part of her heart already lost to him. There was no turning back now, she would be a part of his life, and a part of the world that she didn't even know existed yet. "If we are going to do this, Jacob," she said slowly, smiling uncontrollably. "I'd prefer to do it on land."

He chuckled, biting his lip. "That I can handle," he assured her, wrapping his arm around her waist to help her swim through the bustling current. She held on desperately to him, amazed by his strength and endurance. He had them to shore in only a few minutes, setting her gently down in the sand as they stumbled through the water to find their balance. Bella stood toe to toe with him, looking up at him with awe in her eyes, and then back down to his crotch that had inspired it.

Her body screamed at him, the wet fabric of her bikini clinging to her hardened nipples and he just couldn't control himself. He grabbed her hand leading her silently up the beach. He made it about twenty feet before she stopped him, tugged him around and jumped into his arms. He caught her off balance and stumbled backwards. She wrapped long limbs around him to bind him closer, letting her fingers dive into his hair, grip there. "Take me," she insisted as they continued to back up toward the parking lot where his bike sat next to her truck.

"Now?" He gushed out, his hormones overwhelming his mind. "Here?" He glanced back at his bike again, noting for certain that Embry had left after obviously realizing he'd lost five bucks.

"Yes," she suggested. "Right here, I want you right now." It was more than she could take, the sight of the arousal she'd caused him. She couldn't wait for privacy, she needed him now.

He stopped, finally bumping into the side of his bike. Jacob placed his hands on her hips as his fingers twitched nervously over the exposed skin. This was no girl with innocent fear in her eyes, but a woman. His hands glided down her round hips, setting fire to his wildest desires. He had no idea if he could handle her, but he wanted to try, none the less.

He brought her against him in one hard jerk, one that made her breath shake and her lips tremble. The kiss he placed on her lips was desperate, almost ravenous. Little seductive purrs erupted from somewhere deep in her throat, driving him mad with lust.

She made the next move, making her intentions crystal clear, this was more than an innocent make out session. She tugged his shorts down, exposing flesh and muscle. She sighed with long overdue pleasure as she bit at his plump lip and scraped at the hot flesh beneath her fingers.

He fumbled with the back of her top, his fingers seeking the strings that would allow him access to those luscious breasts. He laughed breathlessly as her lips traced down his throat. "Fuuuuck," he whined. "It's in a knot." His fingers scratched at the tiny knot that refused to budge.

"Patience," she whispered, nipping at his skin again.

"No," he spouted with labored breaths and spun her around. He bent her over the side of his bike until her ass rose up to fit perfectly against his crotch. "Fuck patience, I want this off you now."

His hands roamed over her backside, palming it gently before he went to work trying to pry the strings apart. Each time he pulled it, he lapped at the skin beneath, as the craving for the taste of her overwhelmed him. Quickly loosing what little patience he never had, he ripped it apart with one harsh jerk of his hands. "Damn, baby," he groaned, reflexively shifting forward to rub himself against her soft skin.

She could feel him throbbing against her, tortured whines brushing his lips. He turned her over, his hands straying at her hip. Purring mindlessly herself, she pulled him down to finish exploring his broad chest and firm arms. He loved the way she looked at him, a wildness striking her eyes. It brought his own primal urges to life, and with a quick and not so steady flick of his fingers, he pulled down the front of her top allowing her breast to fill his greedy hands. Her legs spread around him as he continued to increase contact with her porcelain skin and lush curves. She was so impossibly perfect, yet real, soft and firm under his touch. He wanted nothing more than to touch and explore every inch of her body like this forever.

He felt her fingers inching down his hips, and he laughed darkly. "Patience," he mocked, throwing her a lopsided smirk. "Isn't that what you told me?"

Her lips curved. "Fuck that," and she leaned forward to run her hand down the full length of him that throbbed needfully against her skin. She kissed the arch of his hip, the long lines of his stomach, up to his chiseled shoulders until she finally found his lips, wet and all too willing.

The sun was setting behind them, shadows circling the empty parking lot where their love was on full display. His hands were restless and hungry. Jacob had wanted women before, but there was something about this particular one that awoke a ferocious, primal need inside him that he never knew existed.

With one swift jerk, he sat her up on the bike and suckled her breast, flicking against her swollen nipple until her hand found his hair. She curled it between her fingers, pulling it into knots as she began moaning his name. She liked it, and it was driving him mad. His fingers dipped between her legs, feeling the wetness that seeped through the thin fabric onto his long, hard fingers. She yelped with pleasure, bearing down against his pressure. "Ja-cob!" She cried, pulling his hair again. Her back arched, her breasts on display, spilling over her writhing body as she parted her legs for him.

The image of her body hung in the fragile light, clogging the breath in his lungs. He was rougher than he meant to be when he pulled her bottoms from between her legs, but she didn't seem to mind. If fact, she seemed to crave the contact, relish in the savage way he wanted to touch and tug at her body. Her hair was a tangled mess down the pale, fragile skin of her shoulders, her lips parting perfectly to express the need she so desperately felt. The look in her eye was more than an invitation, it was an outright demand. She was daring him to take her, right here, right now, because she knew he would never be the same if he did.

His left hand crawled up her body, inch by inch, committing each provocative point to memory. He rose above her, pushing her knees further apart, until he could feel her heat on his body, spurring him forward. She sucked on her lip, anxious. He aligned himself at her entrance, watching the quick changing expression flit across her face while he pulled her hands up around his neck for support. He braced himself around her backside, holding onto the bike and surged forward. She was tight and hot around him, making him unable to resist the urge he felt to bury himself in her all over again. She called out his name in a high-pitched wail before digging her nails into his shoulders. The sounds she made only sparking his vigor, he gripped her tighter, jerking his hips forward, eliciting every potential moan and cry of passion in her body.

He plunged into her again, lancing that hard, rough shock of pleasure through her unprepared system. His own peak was catching up to him now, stealing his breath as he tried to focus on her deep, growing need for him. Her head dropped back, exposing the sensitive area of her throat and he had to have it. He could feel her pulse pounding beneath his lips and knew he needed even more. He needed to go deeper, harder into her.

He pulled her hips forward, letting her drop off the edge of his bike, each of them whining at the loss of contact. He quickly whipped her around, and with her legs shaking, he bent her over the seat, raking his touch down the rise and fall of her back and hips. He gripped his hands around her hips, hard and firm, entering her once again with groan of relief. Jacob bit at the polished satin of her back to keep from matching her screams. He took her greedily over and over again until her hand twitched up to grab the handlebars, and her knees buckled beneath her. Bella convulsed around him, proclaiming his name to the sex god hall of fame. He thrusted deep inside her one last time, her pleasure breaking him, and he collapsed with her.

He held her beneath him, supporting her drooping body as she fought to catch her breath and her sanity. Jacob had driven her mad with lust and then satisfied every single part of her. Her bare feet curved against the rough pavement reminding her that she'd left her shoes somewhere on the beach. "My shoes," she said roughly, her knees still too weak to stand up. "I think I've lost them."

Jacob's breath tickled her skin as he laughed. "You don't need shoes," he kissed her shoulder, gently this time. "Because you're not going anywhere."

"Oh," she smiled, stretching her back so his lips would move further down her skin. "Whatever you say."

Jacob laughed again, intrigued. "I wouldn't agree to that if I were you."

She finally managed to stand up and turned around in his arms. "Why?" she whispered, touching her lips to his chest. "Can't you be trusted?"

"Not to ever let you wear clothes again," he admitted, unashamed.

"Well, I am minus one bikini top thanks to you." She eyed him playfully, picking up the broken pieces of strings. "I don't suppose you have any extra to spare."

Jacob groaned a little at the prospect of watching her put any form of clothing back on her body. It wasn't that he hadn't liked the bikini, because it was definitely sexy and accentuated her curves in all the maddening places, but he liked her even better like this. He squeezed her ass, pulling her closer, and she got the point. "Nope," he grinned. "I'm all out."

She chuckled, seriously considering throwing him down on the pavement and having her way with him again. If it wasn't for the fact that it was Charlie who would be called if they were caught, she would have done just that. "Liar," she accused instead.

"Maybe," Jacob laughed. "It just depends, if I share my clothes, are you still coming home with me?"

Bella tiptoed to reach his lips, kissing them gently. "I wouldn't go anywhere else," she sighed, sinking into him. Satisfied, Jacob initiated another kiss while his hand caught the strap of the little black pouch that was strapped to the side of the bike. He pulled the extra t-shirt out and pulled away from her just long enough to pull it over her head. It wasn't until headlights flashed around the corner of the road that they quickly separated and grabbed the remainder of their clothing.

"C'mon," he suggested, pulling her onto the bike behind him with an unbridled laugh. "Let's go before they send Charlie after us."

Jacob drove at full speed down the back roads of LaPush, his heart still beating wildly in his chest. Luckily, Billy wasn't home to catch him sneaking his bike and a half naked girl into the garage. Jacob closed the door and flipped on the light behind him.

Bella smiled as soon as the lights revealed the VW Rabbit that Jacob had mentioned during that first visit at her house. The hood was closed, but a variety of parts still lay scattered across the floor, meaning it still wasn't finished. "Having trouble?" She inquired, walking over to inspect it.

"Money trouble," he laughed. "That's why I fixed up the bike first. Embry found some guy just giving two of them away."

"Convenient," she mused, running her hand down the hood. She thought back over the last couple days and how her feelings for Jacob had seemed to blossom out of nowhere. She hopped up on the hood, smiling at the absurdity of it. No matter how hard she tried to deny it, she'd fallen for him without even realizing it.

"Jacob Black," she said thoughtfully, remembering how openly he'd expressed his feelings for her. "I think I love you, too."

He smiled, pulling her body down the hood toward him, completely and utterly sure of himself. "Give me another couple minutes, and I'll make sure you know you do." He enticed her with his lips at her throat and then strategically pulled away. Bella laughed whole-heartedly, her cheeks flushing red. Jacob couldn't help but smile against her skin, feeling content and completely satisfied with his new life for the very first time.


	2. Forgive Me

**STORY #2**

Story Name: Forgive Me

Rating: Mature/Lemons

Genre: Romance/Comedy

Pairing: Embry/ OC Character

Summary: Embry finally finds his imprint, but manages to screw up his chance with her within the first few moments.

Forgive Me

Embry was watching the clock over his shoulder, sighing to himself once he realized that he still had over two hours of work left. He made a face at the broom in his hands and continued sweeping down the isle. He hated working Saturday nights at the store, no one ever came in, which meant he spent most of his time cleaning. He hated cleaning, but most of all he hated this job. He leaned his chin down on the handle, staring blankly at a row of green beans. He wished he were in Forks right now. The pack was having a surprise birthday party for Nessie, and even though it included spending an entire evening suffering through a house full of fowl smelling vampires, it was better than this.

More than once he thought about ditching this job, perhaps closing the store early, but he knew he could never risk his one and only source of income because he was bored. He'd bent down to sweep up the dirt into a pan, when he heard the doorbell ring.

Harper was in a rush. She'd promised her grandmother that she'd be home twenty minutes ago, and she still had to stop by the store to pick up the things she'd requested. She caught her reflection in the glass window, her long wavy hair damp from the rain and shining a brilliant black against her olive skin. She couldn't help but think how much she resembled her grandmother sometimes. She'd adopted the high cheekbones, and dark hair from her Quileute heritage, but she was still different enough to stand out here. That was, after all, her greatest fear, standing out. Social services had forced her out of the drama filled house with her mother and newest stepfather, leaving her only one place to turn. Her father had died when she was young, but her grandmother still sent her a birthday card every July. Harper really surprised her when she showed up on her doorstep three weeks ago with a suitcase and a pleading smile. She wasn't proud of intruding on her grandmother's simple, yet peaceful life here on the reservation, but so far it was working out. However, she wasn't ready to be the center of attention, to have curious eyes following her every step, asking questions that she didn't want to answer, but she knew she could only hide herself so long, because her senior year of school started in two days.

She flew through the door, her eyes glancing instinctively toward the cashier counter, but it was empty. She looked around as she pulled her list from her purse only to find the place deserted. She looked back over her shoulder making sure that the sign in the window was turned to open. Maybe they're just in the back, she thought, scanning the list for essential items. Harper turned the corner intent on finding the produce isle, but instead halted to a stop as she watched the figure at the end of the isle rise to their feet.

Embry's breath faltered, the shock of the sudden shift occurring so quickly that it caught him off guard. His heart began to sputter inconsistently in his chest; he couldn't believe the truth that finally stared him straight in the face. She had come, his imprint not only existed, but she'd found him. Harper paused, obviously taken aback, but recovered quicker than he did. She spun around and darted down a different isle. Embry dropped the broom, a loud booming sound, as panic slowly sunk in and he tried to think about what he should do. His hands began to shake as he imagined going up to her, introducing himself to the girl of his dreams, but a different fear threatened to cripple him at the thought of just letting her walk out without a word.

He gritted his teeth, forcing his hands to stay steady. "You can do this!" he muttered to himself, though he felt an increase on his impending doom radar. He stepped around the corner, peaking to find her bent over with her hands in her hair. "Are you okay?" he blurted out, causing her to almost stumble over in surprise.

Harper let out a squeal that was meant to indicate that she was fine, but Embry was already at her side helping her catch her balance. Both their eyes dropped down, staring at the spot where his hand touched her forearm. He quickly jerked it away, the overwhelming sensation of pure joy fogging his brain. Harper only stared up at him, mesmerized. Her skin still tingled from the contact, and she couldn't stop herself from leaning in closer to him.

It was his smell, she thought as she inhaled deeply. He smelled so damn good. It was like sunshine and summer rain, fresh and inviting. Embry mimicked her stance, closing the small space between them. His fingers itched to touch her again, but he knew better than to risk it. She looked up at him, her eyes even with his chest and he saw the insecurity in them, the fear of what was happening between them. He smiled weakly at her, the only response he could produce to convince her that this feeling wasn't only real, but it would never fade.

The doorbell rang again, startling them both so that they jumped apart from each other. Embry whipped around to see one of the local ladies brush casually down the isle. He knew her well; she came in every other day for milk and diapers. He looked back at Harper, a patient, yet nervous glance signaling for her to wait for him. As he predicted, the lady was waiting by the counter ready to check out within a minute. He whisked behind the cash register, constantly aware of the dazed girl standing at the end of the isle. He could feel her watching him, evaluating his every glance and gesture.

The lady left, leaving them alone in the still silent store. Embry remained behind the counter, wordless as the girl finally began to stir. For the first time Harper remembered why she'd come here, she could feel the list crumbled in her fist, but she no longer cared about it. Groceries, food, survival in general seemed like such trivial thing compared to the brown eyes that peered curiously at her now. She dropped the list, her purse, and her self control as she stepped forward toward the counter. Embry met her, stopping only inches in front of her, like two opposing magnets waiting for nature to snap them together.

He knew he shouldn't, but the temptation was too strong to deny. He lifted his hand slowly to her temple, hesitating only a moment before brushing a strand of her dark hair away from her eyes. His fingertip lingered, speeding her heart, and unwinding her inhibition. She returned the touch, a brush of her palm against the soft fabric covering his chest. Embry gasped, and Harper sighed, each suddenly unsatisfied. Embry had never been a very brazen guy, he'd always left those things up to Jacob and Quil, or at least he did until they imprinted. Now, for the first time in his life, he felt the urge to push the boundaries. In an almost instinctual gesture, he cupped her chin in his hand, and tilted it up. Her lips parted, releasing the most delicate whine he'd ever heard. He'd planned on waiting for her to make the next move, but again his own eagerness won out, and he touched his lips to hers without thinking twice about it.

Soft, and perfect, lingering just long enough to ignite that twist of desire that she'd kept sedated for so long. Harper couldn't breath, she couldn't think, hell she could barely function enough to register the fact that he'd pulled away. Her eyes brimmed with disappointment, while fire flashed through her veins. She was on her tiptoes, her hand latched around his neck before she could even finish her next breath. Embry was just as equally shocked as he was enticed, and found himself sinking into her, his hands wrapping greedily around her small waist.

Logic, rationality and common sense crumbled easily under the weight of the attraction that pulled them together. He knew he should stop, distance himself long enough to explain everything, something... anything. It was just too damn easy to give in to it, to want more and receive it without even asking for it. A few seconds more and neither of them could think further than the here, now and the kiss that was dragging them steadily under. Harper's hands clawed at his shirt, while Embry entangled his in the long sweep of hair dangling down her back. As soon as she deepened the kiss, parting his lips long enough to taste the sweet seduction of his tongue, he whipped her around and pinned her against the counter.

New, powerful urges erupted inside him. He touched her body rough and demanding one moment, and then tenderly the next. Harper could hear herself cry out, hear her own short, harsh panting, each gasp of shock and pleasure. Embry could see the clouds forming in her brilliant blue eyes, the brown flecks swirling with the craving that they both felt. He hadn't even realized that he'd moved her, that he'd picked her up, swerved around the counter and disappeared down the long dark hallway. Her lips were ravaging his throat as his shaky hand sought out the doorknob to the bathroom. He shut and locked the door behind them, setting her down on the sink. Her hands were already busy when his lips found hers again. She yanked desperately at his shirt, and he discarded it quickly before setting his sights on her own.

His hands were strong, quick and so powerful. They kneaded at her breast as his lips wove down her neck. She could feel her arousal climbing; a burning insatiable need that she never knew existed. Embry could feel it too, his own body matching the peak, demanding more. The primal instinct of the wolf had taken hold of him, enhanced his desire to claim the prize that fate had given him. He grabbed her hips, pulled her down from the sink as his fingers traced the inside of her thigh. He had to make sure, he wanted to know that she wanted this too. Harper cried out, a moan so desperate that it weakened her knees. Embry's hand slid from under her shorts, his fingers wet and thriving for another taste.

She watched him, dazed as he unbuttoned her shorts, and let them drop seamlessly to the floor. Her hands trembled along his bare chest, inching their way down until they lingered along his waistline. He watched her, tugging at the button and zipper of his jeans, her hands gripping his thighs as the fabric fell away from him. The sheer size of him intimidated her. He was massive, built with long, lean muscles that flexed under her admiring touch. He pulled her away, moving them to the wall where he pinned her between his arms. She was surprised by the gentle way he kissed her then, the rough edges suddenly smoothed away. His skin was hot, burning and bloomed damp when she bit desperately at it. The air was ripe, thick and tasted of him with each gulping breath she took. Whatever this man did to her, she welcomed. Whatever he demanded of her, she wanted to give. Embry's hands slipped her panties away, and she suddenly felt him naked against her. He wrapped his long arm around her waist, heaved her easily up until her backside pressed against the wall. He looked at her then, watching her eyes as he brought himself to her entrance. She was ready for him, he could feel it as he slid easily against her. He kissed her, a desperate reminder that somewhere beyond this lust that enthralled them both would be love. He lifted her hips, high and his eyes burned into hers. With one swift thrust, he was inside her, hilt deep. She yelped violently, her fingers clawing at his neck. He could see the shock, the pain mixed with pleasure on her face and he couldn't help but feel enthralled that he was lucky enough to be her first.

He moved slowly at first, allowing her body time to adjust, but she soon whimpered for more. Her hips rocked against him, causing his fingers to strain against her hips as he held her in place. He thrusted into her hard then, a slow and steady pace that made her body tremble. He kissed her neck, willing her body to relax, and it followed his instruction flawlessly. Her head fell back against the wall, her eyes finding him in the dim light of the room. He smiled, a gentle quirk of his lips and it nearly sent her over the edge. He knew exactly what he was doing to her, driving her mad, absolutely insane with this building need for him. With precise, quick strokes he began to satisfy it. He moaned into her hair, and her vision blurred. He shuddered when she came, when she closed around him and he fought viciously with himself not to follow. Not yet. There would be more. Even as the blood roared in his head, he wanted and needed more of her.

He held her limp body firmly around him, her legs shaking with weakness, until he recreated the frenzy he'd caused all over again. Then, and then only, did he bury his face against her shoulder and let himself fall with her. His weight pinned her against the wall, their breaths rugged and sharp. He sat her feet gently on the floor, but they collapse beneath her. He followed her down because he was a little dizzy, and overwhelming spent himself. He kneeled between her legs, admiring the soft, full curves of her body. He suddenly wished he'd taken the time to remove her shirt as he watched her chest heave relentlessly beneath it. Slowly the fog of lust drifted from their eyes, their bodies floating down from the high.

This time when Harper looked up to meet those intense brown eyes, instead of the lover that she so viciously craved, she saw a stranger. A beautiful, yet naked stranger. She gulped. Her thoughts burst in every direction, questions and accusations cutting off the air to her lungs. What had she done? How had she let this happen? She was half naked, in a bathroom after just loosing her virginity to a complete and utter stranger. Fear collapsed around her. She stumbled to her feet, pushing Embry away from her.

"Wait." He insisted, placing his hand on her arm, but she only jerked it away. "I can explain."

She whined, trying to cover herself as she grabbed her panties and shorts. She dragged them on while he did the same, but he was already blocking her escape through the door. "Please, stop." He begged. "I know this is weird."

She stared blankly at him. Weird didn't begin to explain this. She'd come in here to buy groceries for her grandmother, and then suddenly she'd seen him. She remembered it clearly now, him standing at the end of the isle looking at her. It was everything after that moment that was hard to recall, like how he'd spoken to her, that first touch that led to a second and a third. She had a chance to leave, she remembered, but chose to stay, and wait for him. She had so many chances to leave, to stop what had happened, she just couldn't understand why she hadn't done it.

She tried to push past him, but he wouldn't budge. "I can't let you leave like this."

She smacked her hand against his chest, disgusted with herself, and the tears erupted. It broke Embry in two, her embarrassment and shame becoming his own. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I shouldn't have let it get out of control."

She looked up at him, crystal clear tears welling up inside those perfect blue eyes. She didn't have to say it for Embry to know what she wanted. She wanted out of here, away from him, far away from anything that would ever remind her of him again. "No." He croaked. "Please, you don't understand."

Tears leaked down her pale cheeks that stung with bursts of red as they flushed. He hated himself for causing the pain she felt. He had to be the absolute worst imprint to ever exist. Now that his head was clear, that his claim had been staked, he was repelled by his actions. He couldn't believe that he'd touched her like that, lured her here so he could satisfy some long over due craving he had. He felt sick.

Harper pushed against his chest again, another wordless plea and this time he couldn't tell her no. He'd already taken so much, too much to deny her the one thing she wanted. He stepped away, his head dropping as pain ripped him apart. "I'm so sorry." He muttered, but she disappeared without a sound.

She was gone. Her presence now just a flash of memory, tainted by his mistakes. He didn't even know her name. He hadn't even heard her voice. Fate had been wrong this time, he didn't deserve her. He slid down the bathroom wall, his own tears falling into his palms. He deserved to be alone, forever.

-0-

Jacob and Quil were still laughing at the silly antics of their imprints when they pulled into the parking lot of the store. Nessie and Claire had snuck into the kitchen during preparations for the party, and eaten half the cake before the guests even arrived. Now that the party was over, their imprints tucked safely away in their beds, the boys were ready to spring Embry from the entrapment of his job. It was ten minutes until eight, which meant he should be closing up anytime. Jake walked through the door first, expecting to find his other best friend snoozing on the job, but the place was deserted.

He looked back at Quil, who shrugged. "Probably in the back," he suggested, and yelled down the hallway. "Embry! We are here to pick you up! Let's go!"

"Quil," Jacob said, eyeing the cluttered isle curiously. "Come look at this."

Having heard no reaction from the empty hallway, Quil walked over to Jacob to see a brown purse laying in the middle of the isle surrounded by a piece of paper and several objects that had spilled out of it. "That's weird," Quil agreed, because he could read Jacob's expression perfectly.

Jacob went to pick up the purse, and gathered everything inside of it. It was then that Quil heard the jagged cry, and whipped around to face the hallway again. "Did you hear that?" He asked, turning to follow the sound.

Jacob followed him down the hallway, the sound of whimpering becoming louder as they went. They turned to find Embry humped against the wall with his head between his knees, close to hyperventilation. "Are you alright?" Quil asked, dropping to his knees to help his friend.

"Does he look alright," Jacob shot back. "What the hell happened here, Embry?"

Embry looked up at his friends, his eyes red and swollen. The pain was still so fresh, he imagined that it might never go away. "She's gone."

"Who?" They both asked together.

"She won't come back," he explained, his lip trembling. "She hates me now."

"Who?" They asked again, a little more persistent this time.

"I fucked her!" He cried. "I don't even know her name, and I fucked her."

Jacob and Quil looked at each other now, and Quil slowly leaned in closer to his friend. "You did what?" he asked, unsure if he'd heard it correctly.

"Do I have to spell it out for you?" Embry screamed. "We had sex, right there!" He pointed at the wall across from him, repulsed by the thought of it. She'd lost her virginity in a bathroom thanks to him. He'd never forgive himself. "And now she is gone."

"Who, Embry?" Jacob insisted. "Who are you talking about?"

Embry bit his lip, the shame of it overwhelming him. "I don't know her name," he muttered.

Quil's eyes rose, a chuckle threatening to erupt, but he caught it just in time thanks to Jacob's warning glare. "Then what is the big deal?" Quil asked instead. "It's not like it's the first time you've hooked up with a chick. Though, you do usually introduce yourself first."

Embry wanted to hit him, and probably would have done just that if Jacob's gasp hadn't interrupted him. "You imprinted." It was so obvious now, Jacob thought. Embry never cried over a girl, ever. Now here he was, fresh off a rump in the backroom bawling his eyes out because his conquest had ran off afterwards. There was only one reasonable explanation. "You fucked your imprint, didn't you?"

"I couldn't help it, okay!" He yelled pushing himself to his feet. Quil was smiling again, amused. Embry hit him this time, and savored the way his shoulder gave against the impact.

"Ow!" Quil groaned.

"This isn't funny, asshole." Embry growled at him. "She freaked the hell out afterwards, and ran off!"

Quil still wasn't as worried as he knew he should be. "The rez isn't a big place, Em. You'll see her again." He tried to reason.

"That's the thing," he half whined. "She's not from the rez. I've never seen her before, obviously, but you can tell she's definitely not a local."

Jacob cleared his throat, and both boys turned to find him smiling as well. "I beg to differ," he explained, showcasing a small white card in his hand. "According to this new shiny license, your girl lives on Chaney Rd."

"Hey! That's my road," Quil laughed. "We're neighbors!"

Embry shoved him, because his positive attitude was pissing him off. He grabbed the license from Jacob's hand, noticing the purse he held for the first time. A new wave of guilt hit him as he stared down at the picture of the most perfect woman he'd ever seen. "Harper Lee," he whispered, playing the name over and over again in his head.

"See," Jacob encouraged. "We'll find her, and get her back."

"She hates me." Embry sighed, running his finger over the picture. He tried to remember the way her dark hair felt between his fingers, her soft skin writhing under his body. "She deserves to hate me."

"She'll forgive you," Jacob insisted.

"Eventually," Quil chuckled, biting his lip as Embry glared at him.

"I don't know what to do," he sighed, hopeless.

"Me either," Jacob agreed. "I figure our safest bet is to ask an expert, someone who understands the complexity of not only being an imprint, but a woman too."

Embry frowned, looking up at his friend. "Emily is going to kill me."

"You're probably right," Jacob laughed, throwing his arm around him. "But she's our only hope."

The boys walked out together and helped Embry lock up for the night. Embry stared at the empty store as they pulled away, cursing himself for not having been content with his boredom.

-0-

Harper lay in her bed the next morning, her pillow still damp with tears. Her body ached, her muscles sore in ways that reminded her of him with even the slightest of movements. The worst part about it was her grandmother hadn't even looked surprised when she showed up late, unkempt and empty handed. She'd promised her grandmother that she would behave, that she wouldn't be a burden, and she'd already managed to fail her. They'd sat quietly together in the kitchen that night, eating scrambled eggs sandwiches for dinner. Gloria hadn't bombarded her granddaughter with questions, or accused her of any wrong doing, because she knew whatever it was, Harper was beating herself up about it enough already. Now in the light of day, Harper was willing herself to forget about it, to move on and get her life back on track.

"Sweet heart," Gloria Lee whispered. Harper looked up to see her grandmother, her dark, graying hair pulled back into its usual tight bun, peaking around the edge of the door. "Good morning."

Harper tugged the blankets further around her neck as if her grandmother might somehow see the discomfort she felt. "Mornin' G'ma."

"I hate to disturb you, honey," Gloria smiled. "But, you have a visitor."

Harper's heart leaped into her throat, and she jerked herself up in the bed. She didn't know anyone in LaPush, how could she possibly have a visitor. Gloria read the panic on her face, and came to sit on the bed next to her. "It's a young lady, Emily Uley," she explained. "She found your purse, you must have lost it somewhere yesterday."

Lost? More like abandoned during her lapse of complete insanity. Either way, she hadn't even realized that it was missing. At least it was a girl who'd found it, and not him. Her body ached again at the thought of him, but not in the painful way she'd expected. "Umm, okay." Harper said, flustered. "Tell her I will be right out."

She jumped out of bed, wobbly on her feet and darted to the bathroom to get dressed. A few minutes later she stepped out the front door to find a young woman sitting on the steps of the porch, holding her purse. "Hello," Harper said weakly, but the lady only beamed up at her.

"Good morning," she smiled. "I'm sorry to come by so early, it's just I thought you might be worrying about this." Truthfully, she wanted to get away from the boys, and Embry's constant fretting.

"Yes, umm thank you. I've been terribly worried about it." The lie was obvious, but Harper didn't care. She reached out for the purse, not expecting Emily to motion for her to sit down.

"Please," Emily requested. "I only want a moment."

Harper sat down beside her, and Emily smiled. The girl really was beautiful; Embry had explained her almost perfectly. She'd heard the admiration in his voice, but it still didn't make up for his actions. He'd made a mistake, a terrible, but hopefully forgivable mistake. "Gloria tells me that you're new here," she said gently. "That you moved here from Quebec a few weeks ago."

Harper nodded, her fingers tensing nervously around her purse. "Gloria and I have been friends for a while," Emily went on. "She baby-sits for me on occasion."

"That's nice," Harper nodded, desperately wanting to escape back into the house. "And I thank you again for returning my purse."

Emily knew she shouldn't say it, but she needed to find out the extremity of the situation. "The thank you should go to Embry," she explained. "He found it, I'm just the delivery girl."

Air lodged in Harper's throat, and the shock of the name was written on her face. "Yes," Emily confirmed for her, "that is his name."

Sweat broke out on her face, and she suddenly felt a wave of nausea. "He told you?" She stuttered, her face flashing a brilliant red.

"It was easy to guess," Emily whispered, scooting next to her. "He was torn to pieces at the thought of hurting you."

Harper covered her face, embarrassed beyond belief. "You are going to tell my grandmother, aren't you?"

"Absolutely not," Emily assured her. "I came here to comfort you, to offer support. I've been in your shoes Harper, I understand what you're going through."

"No you don't," she snapped. "You can't."

Emily's lips pressed together, her determination growing. "I met the man that is now my husband at the house of my favorite cousin. Sam was dating her, had been for the majority of their high school career, and she wanted me to meet him. Something changed in both us when we met, and though I was able to fight against the attraction that day, two days later I woke up to find my cousin's boyfriend in my bed. I barely remembered running into him on the beach, the events leading us to my house. I was only left with the guilt and shame of what I'd done and it still eats at me until this day."

"But you married him," Harper gaped at her.

"We both tried to fight it. We tried so hard, for far too long, but that connection that formed between us that day was stronger than our good intentions. As much as I wanted to hate him for causing me to hurt my cousin, I couldn't bring myself to do it. Sometimes in life we are blessed with something that is perfect for us, even when we don't believe we deserve it."

Harper sat there thoughtfully staring at the ground. "I don't know what happened yesterday. Sometimes, I believe that I imagined it, that it didn't really happen. It doesn't seem like it could be real, that he could be real."

"Embry is real, and he made a mistake in judgment. You made a mistake in judgment. That doesn't mean either of you are bad people, or that you deserve to punish yourself because of it."

Harper's head dropped to her hands. "It's just overwhelming to think about it. It's hard to admit to myself that I actually lost my virginity to a boy that I don't even know against a bathroom wall. It's not exactly the fairy tale encounter I'd always imagined."

"I know," Emily sighed. "And Embry knows that, he hates himself for it."

Tears threatened to over run, but Harper quickly wiped them away. "I just don't know what to do," she sighed. "I don't know how to move on from it."

"Talk to him."

"No!" Harper jerked herself away from Emily as if she'd somehow transformed into Embry. "I can't do that, I can never do that." She could feel her face turning red again. "I can't imagine ever looking him in the eye again after that. It's mortifying to even think about it. I mean he was naked, I touched him, he -" she couldn't even finish it without choking on the embarrassment.

"Okay," Emily reassured her, noting that this would take longer than she'd expected. "He will understand that you need your space."

Even now as the relief calmed her, a different part of herself wanted to take it back. Emily understood the war that was tearing Harper apart, and sympathized. "Come to dinner, at my house, this afternoon," she suggested. "Give yourself time to relax, think about something else."

Harper suddenly went rigid. "Girls only," Emily quickly added. "You have my word."

Harper thought about it, and she wanted to say no, but she couldn't imagine sitting around here all day reliving it. Emily was right, she needed a distraction. "Okay," Harper agreed. "Girls only."

Emily smiled, relieved. Small steps, she told herself. "Be ready at four," Emily smiled, patting her arm. "And tell your grandmother, goodbye for me."

Harper nodded, and watched as Emily walked back to her car and disappeared around the long line of trees leading back out to the road. She was about to turn back to go inside when she noticed a figure appear around the house. She jumped, clinging to the porch as she realized the figure was a boy. Her panic eased slightly when she recognized that it definitely wasn't Embry, though the boy was similar in size. This boy was followed by a young girl, no older than five, who skipped along happily at his side.

The boy smiled, waving as they approached. This was bad, she thought, she could feel it. "Hi!" he announced, allowing the girl to walk up the steps in front of him. "You must be Harper Lee, Miss Gloria's granddaughter."

Harper stared blankly at him. Had all the boys she'd seen here been as handsome as the last two, or was the world just playing a cruel trick on her? When she didn't speak, the boy held out his hand. "I'm Quil Ateara, we're neighbors." He smiled. "And this is Claire."

The little girl beamed up at her, holding out her hands. "And we brought pie."

Harper took the pie from her, unsure of what to do next. "Thanks," she said lamely. "Its nice to meet you."

"We've heard a lot about you," Quil smirked. "So, we decided to come by and say hi."

"And bring pie!" Claire added.

"It looks lovely, and very delicious," Harper assured her.

"Oh, it is!" Claire smiled. "Quil makes the best pies, although I'm not allowed to tell Jake and Embry that."

Harper froze at the name, and Quil gave Claire a pointed tap on the shoulder. She looked up at him apologetically. "Oops," She grimaced. "I forgot."

She should have known. Harper glared menacingly at the boy. "He told you?" she seethed. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"Shush," Quil encouraged, cupping his hands over Claire's ears. "This isn't the place to discuss it. Let's just go inside, and eat some pie."

"No," Harper refused, but it was too late because her Grandmother spotted them from inside the door.

"Quil," she regaled happily, "and little Claire, too. How wonderful for you to stop by."

Quil ran over and hugged Gloria like they were age-old friends. "Of course, Claire wanted to meet Harper, so we made you both a little treat."

Harper held the pie out for her to see, though she highly doubted that this had been the girl's idea. "How sweet of you," Gloria gushed. "Come inside and lets all have a piece."

"I haven't even eaten breakfast yet," she reminded, but no one listened. Claire jumped through the door and disappeared into the kitchen with her grandmother. Quil held the door open, smiling triumphantly.

"It's Hershey pie," he grinned. "It's worth ruining your appetite."

"Don't think you fool me," she snarled stomping by him, but he caught her arm.

Harper gritted her teeth at his smug face. He pulled her hair over her shoulder, placing it delicately against her neck. "Nice hickey," he chuckled. "Good thing Gloria isn't wearing her glasses."

Harper's hand darted to her neck, underneath the strands of hair Quil had placed and felt the tender spot on her neck. "Don't worry," Quil smiled. "I'll get onto him about that." He squeezed in the door by her, smiling over his shoulder.

When she finally calmed down enough to join them in the kitchen, everyone was sitting at the table with a plate and fork in front of them. She sighed, and sat the pie in the middle. Her grandmother happily filled them in on Harper's move from Quebec, though thankfully she left out the painful reasoning for it. Harper, however, sat there quietly eating the pie which she hated to admit was especially tasty. After everyone finished Gloria offered to show Claire one of her new paintings, she was, after all, a talented artist and had been since Harper could remember. Claire jumped at the chance. They left her sitting across from the boy she was growing to hate. Quil eyed her curiously, the ominous grin never leaving his face. "Embry is a good guy," he said leaning forward to whisper. "I'm not saying he hasn't done shit that he isn't proud of, but who hasn't?"

"Did he send you here?" she growled.

Quil laughed. "Hell no, he'd kick my ass if he knew I came over here."

"Then why the hell did he tell you?"

"I found him yesterday," he explained. "When you ran off, you left him a total mess. He was still on the bathroom floor crying his poor little heart out when I got there."

Harper tried to ignore the way the thought seemed to make her emotions flare up. "What happened yesterday was equally hard on him. He experienced the exact same thing you did, except when it ended, it was you who ran away from him. He'd found everything he'd been looking for in you."

"What? A slut?"

Quil frowned, reaching over to smack her on the shoulder. Harper gaped at him. "Did you just hit me?"

"Did you just insult yourself?" He shot back. "I'm trying to explain something to you. What happened yesterday, wasn't one sided. It over whelmed him, he normally doesn't operate that way. Embry isn't a customer against the bathroom wall kind of guy. I mean, he wouldn't have necessarily wined you and dined you, because lets face it, the guy works at the grocery store, but he would have at least killed you with some poor boy sweetness. You bring out the bad boy in him," he smiled ruefully, leaning over to inspect her hickey again. "Obviously."

Harper pushed his hand away. "What is your point exactly?"

Quil frowned. "You'd like him. Embry could make you happy. Give him a chance."

Gloria returned with a bouncing Claire who skidded into the room. "I guess it's time for us to go munchkin," he said, messing up Claire's hair. "I told your mom I'd have you back soon."

"She'll get over it," Claire assured him. "I want to see Harper's room."

Quil smiled at the annoyed grimace that remained on Harper's face. "Maybe next time." He told her. "But I think you're forgetting something else that you wanted to ask her, remember?"

"Oh yeah!" Claire grinned turning around. "Will you come to the bonfire tonight? Please, oh pretty please?"

"Bonfire?" Harper asked suspiciously.

"It's a small, invite only get together at the beach. I thought I might formally introduce you to some of my friends." The mischievous smile told her all she needed to know.

Harper looked at Claire trying to fake a smile. "I'm sorry sweetie, but I have plans. I'm having dinner with Emily Uley. It's girls only, so I'm sure you could come to that."

"Oh, don't worry, I'll be there!" Claire squealed with excitement.

Harper looked over at Quil satisfied that she'd avoided the offer.

"Well, in case you change your mind, the invitation is still open," Quil stated, annoyed.

"I won't." She smirked.

Quil was still pouting as they left, disappointed that his grand plan had failed.

-0-

Emily Uley's house was teaming with girls when Harper arrived, and she met each one of them in turn. It was slightly overwhelming, but Harper believed that she at least caught all their names before they started assaulting her with questions. Rachel, the tall, unnaturally gorgeous one couldn't stop hugging Harper for reasons unknown to her, while Kim, the shorter, adorable one never stopped smiling. Claire was there too, along with Emily's baby and another girl who they said was named Leah, but she never introduced herself. By the time Emily served dinner, they'd gotten past all the basic questions and things began to get personal.

"Are you dating anyone?" Rachel asked, as she passed a plate of steaming vegetables around the table.

"No." Harper answered quietly, because her relationship status had always been an uncomfortable subject, especially now.

They all grinned happily at her. "So, no boys back home in Canada that you left behind?" Kim added.

Harper shook her head, hoping they would just drop the subject. There had been a boy, once upon a time, but that was before her drunken mother made a pass at him and ran him off. She'd never really forgiven her for it, though she managed to move on to her third husband easily enough. Then there was her last boyfriend, that relationship lasted only a month before he lost interest after finding out that getting her into bed wasn't as easy as he'd hoped. He'd probably laugh now if he knew that she'd finally given in to a stranger in a public bathroom.

"That is probably for the best," Emily smiled. "Long distance relationships are hard to maintain."

Harper grinned weakly at her hoping the worst was over, but they'd only just began. "Embry is single too." Rachel explained with a twisted smirk. "He's really a great guy."

Evidently everyone knew. Was there anyone that Embry hadn't told? "No offense," She sighed. "But everyone keeps saying that, that Embry is a good guy, like that somehow makes what happened yesterday okay. It's not okay. It's not his fault, I made the mistake too, but nothing changes the fact that it shouldn't have happened."

She heard someone snort behind her, and she turned around to see the Leah girl laughing to herself. Harper hadn't noticed her eating at the counter. "I think I'm going to like you," she grinned. "You're feisty. That boy needs someone to cause a little trouble in his life."

Harper stared blankly at her as she set her plate in the sink. "Well, I've heard all I needed to know, you girls have fun, I'm heading down the beach."

"Leah." Emily said with a hint of warning in her voice. "Watch your mouth down there."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to kick a wounded puppy," she mused. "I'm just going to poke him a little. He'll survive."

"Leah!" Rachel whined.

"What are you talking about?" Harper asked, turning back and forth in her chair.

"She's going to go join the boys down at the bonfire," Kim explained.

Harper looked back at her mischievous face, something she didn't recognize welling up inside her. "Is Embry there? Are you going to tell him what I said?"

She shrugged, nonchalantly. "Maybe. That bother you?"

"Maybe." Harper shot back at her, and Leah's smile only widened. "I just don't understand why everyone thinks they need to get involved. This happened between Embry and I, it should have stayed that way."

Leah busted out laughing, and it made her blood boil. "There are no secrets in this family," she chuckled. "You might as well get used to it now."

"I don't want you talking to him about me." Harper demanded, setting her jaw.

Leah's tongue ran across her teeth as she studied her. "And exactly how do you expect to stop me?" She taunted.

"Leah, stop it," Kim yelled.

"No," she countered. "If she wants to keep this between her and Embry, then she should be down there with him, working it out. I'm sick of watching him cry, and hearing him moan about it. He's worse than Jacob ever was. I'm going to end this now, its only right the kid knows he doesn't have a chance."

She was provoking her now, and though Harper knew it, she couldn't stop herself from responding. "Stay out of it." She breathed through her clenched teeth.

Leah smirked at her, stepping toward the door. "Make me, sweetheart." Leah vanished before Harper could even blink her eyes. She spun around looking to the other girls for help.

"Would she really do that?" she asked, desperately. "Would she really tell him that stuff?"

Emily sighed, her fingers rubbing her temples. "I'd like to say that I know she wouldn't, but Leah is really close to the boys, and she believes forcing you to talk to Embry is easier than waiting for you to decide on your own."

Everything inside of her roared with anger. Her fingers clenched and unclenched at her sides as she tried to decide what she should do. The last thing she wanted was to see Embry right now, let alone talk to him. However, the thought of Leah telling him that, of imagining him being upset because of it, made the pain she felt inside that much worse.

"Shit." She cursed.

Claire gasped, and Harper bit her lip. "Sorry," she apologized. "And it's probably best that you keep her here, this might get ugly."

Rachel and Kim jumped up from their seats, excitement spreading wildly across their face. Harper darted out the door, but she could feel them tagging along closely behind her. The worn path that led from Emily's house down to the beach was long, heavily wooded, but easily enough to follow. The closer she got, the more her annoyance grew. By the time she emerged onto the beach, her hands were shaking. Leah stood out on the sand, halfway between Harper and the large bonfire, waiting on her. She knew that Harper would follow her, the bitch.

As soon as Harper spotted her, she smiled and turned toward the bonfire. Harper ran down the beach, she could see a gang of boys sitting around the fire now. Embry had secluded himself from the rest, his head hung down over his knees. The others alerted him of their approach, and Harper couldn't stop her heart from leaping into her throat when he looked up. She could remember it all with perfect clarity now, his strong, confident hands moving over her body, his lush lips devouring every inch of her.

Leah jumped over a piece of driftwood, her smile never fading. "Told you I'd get her here," She sang. "Now give me my ten bucks."

Harper bolted to a stop, staring at Leah as she reached her hand out to Quil. Her mouth dropped open. "This was a bet?" She bellowed, looking accusingly at Quil. "You two have been betting on us?"

Embry turned, glaring at them as well. "Are you kidding me, Quil?"

Quil only shrugged, handing off his money to Leah. "It worked didn't it?"

"Bastard!" Harper screamed, leaping forward. "I can't believe you tried to bribe me with pie just so you could win a bet!"

Embry caught her just before she reached them holding her back with ease. "Wait." He said, his eyes narrowing. "Pie?"

Leah roared with laughter. "Quil actually thought that a little chocolate, combined with a guilt trip from Claire could actually get her here fully knowing that all imprints need is a little provoking."

"I'll show you provoking!" Harper screamed, fighting against Embry's hold.

Leah continued to laugh. "See what I mean?"

"Embry," Kim yelled as the girls finally made their way to the fire. "Get Harper out of here, Jacob is on his way, he'll deal with these two."

Embry bared his teeth at his pack mates, and so-called best friends. "This isn't over."

Quil rolled his eyes. "We did it for the common good," he tried to explain. "Your good in particular."

Harper was still barking threats at both of them when Embry picked her up and began carrying her down the beach. Once they made it back to the path, Harper was at her limit. "Put me down!" She screamed, thrashing in his arms.

Embry had no choice but to set her down, she was wiggling too much for him to keep a hold on her. Instead He grabbed her wrists, and pinned her up against the nearest tree to keep her from making a counter attack. "Stop it!" He said with a deep, husky voice and Harper shrunk beneath him. "Calm down." He said a little more gently this time. "Quil and Leah aren't worth it, trust me, I've been dealing with their shit for years."

Harper jerked her hands free, though she remained relatively still. "This wouldn't have been an issue if you could have just managed to keep your mouth shut!"

"I'm not the one who ran away," he shot back. "Excuse me for needing support." He could feel himself grimace as he said it, but the truth couldn't be denied.

"You're blaming this on me?" Harper gasped.

"No," Embry blurted out. "This is definitely all my fault, and I'm willing to bear the burden of that, but don't condemn me for needing my family."

Her mouth clamped shut, because she wanted to condemn him. She couldn't understand why everyone he knew had to be involved, why anyone would want or need their family's help. Maybe if she would have had one that actually cared it would make sense, but she didn't. That fact had never bothered her until now.

Tears brimmed her eyes, and Embry began to panic. "No. Stop. For heaven's sake please don't cry right now."

Harper turned away from him, wiping her eyes. "I'm not usually this emotional," she sputtered.

Embry's hand touched her shoulder as he moved closer to her. "And I'm not usually this much of a prick," he whispered. "I think its safe to say we got off to a very bad start in all this."

Harper half laughed. "The start was the only good part, its all the shit afterwards that sucks."

Embry paused, pulling her shoulder around. "Really?" He asked, surprised. "You thought it was good?"

Harper looked up at him, her face flushing red. "Oh God, I can't believe I just said that." She tried to hide her face from him, but he held her in place.

"I thought it was great," He blurted out.

Her eyes shined up at him, still thoroughly embarrassed. "Really?"

"Best sex I've ever had."

She didn't know why, but her features turned to stone. Something about knowing he'd been with other girls turned her almost green inside. "Shit," Embry moaned, raking his fingers through his short-cropped hair. "I'm sorry. I'm horrible at this. I shouldn't have said it like that."

"No," Harper sighed. "It's okay, it's just-"

"I know it was your first time." He looked painfully down at her. "And I know it should have been something so much better than that. Maybe next time-" He caught the shock in her eyes, and nearly kicked himself. "Shit. I just need to stop talking."

"Next time?" Harper repeated. "I know it's probably hard for you to believe, but I'm not that kind of girl."

"That's not what I meant," he rushed. "I meant a long time from now, assuming that you actually might end up liking a complete idiot who can't stop saying stupid shit."

Harper studied him, he was way too cute when he was being honest. She rubbed her face, unsure if she could believe what she was actually hearing. "Wait. You mean that you want this to actually go somewhere?"

Embry took in a calming breath. "I know it's probably hard for you to believe, but I don't normally sex it up with random chicks in the back room. I mean, I've been with girls before, but that was a long time ago. I haven't been in a relationship in almost three years, I've been waiting for someone like you, Harper."

"Why me?"

"Why me?" He countered, pointing to himself. "I think we can both agree that something out of the ordinary happened in that grocery store yesterday."

Harper looked thoughtfully at him. "Emily mentioned something similar happening between her and her husband."

Embry nodded. "You'll find that you have a lot in common with the girls in my family, well except for maybe Leah."

Harper cringed, she was still angry at that chick. "So, we're really going to try this?"

"I want to." He smiled, hope rising in his chest.

Harper couldn't help but remember her tattered relationship past. "And you're okay with waiting for sex?"

"Of course."

"Even if I said it had to wait until marriage?"

"Not a problem," he assured her. "I'm a good guy, Harper."

"So I've heard," she chuckled, but her fears weren't relieved just yet. "And you should know my family is horrible, that's why I had to move in with my grandmother."

Embry shrugged. "You've met my family, right? Bat. Shit. Crazy."

Harper couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, so how do we do this exactly?"

Embry had no idea. "Well, I know I don't want to go back to the bonfire."

"Me either, I still might jump that Leah chick."

Embry laughed. "Yeah, definitely not going back there. Just for future reference, Leah is kind of badass. The problem is I don't own a car, or anything else actually, but maybe I could walk you home?"

"It's like three miles away," Harper told him.

Embry shrugged. "Plenty of time to talk."

Harper thought about it, but quickly agreed. "Okay, sure.

Embry grinned, he couldn't ever remember feeling so happy in his life. He reached out for Harper's hand and began leading her off the path. "Follow me," he instructed. "I know a short cut."

Harper's eyes darted around her as the foliage immediately became thicker. "Are you sure this is safe?"

Embry smiled, intertwining their fingers. "No worries, I'll protect you. Which reminds me, I need to show you something later."

Harper laughed. "You mean there is something about you I haven't seen?"

"You have no idea," he chuckled, pulling her playfully into his side. They disappeared through the trees, their figures lost among the magic of LaPush, a wolf and his imprint, together at last.


End file.
